Many states have implemented or expanded state-funded prekindergarten programs in the last decade, encouraged by claims about the benefits that can be expected and the importance of early experiences for children's development, especially for economically disadvantaged children. However, there is remarkably little methodologically adequate…

As global demands for workers in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields persist, there are increased opportunities for historically underrepresented African-American and Latino youth to fill STEM career pipelines. African-American and Latino youth have long faced disproportionately high unemployment rates. Joblessness has been…

In an effort to address social imbalances and equity in Ghana's education delivery and to achieve her Education for All (EFA) agenda, some pro-poor programmes have been introduced. Among these is the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) that aims among others, at providing safety nets for the poor, increasing school enrolment in addition to…

Describes an evaluation of a summer career awareness workshop program for economically disadvantaged youth. The evaluation found that three-fourths of the 96 participants reported that as a result of the three-day workshop, they were closer to making a career decision. (CT)

This report presents findings stemming from the first-year evaluation of the Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) program, one of several statewide performance incentive programs in Texas. In June 2006, Governor Perry and the 79th Texas Legislature created the Governor's Educator Excellence Award Program, one component of which is the TEEG…

This report focuses on an effort by Los Angeles County to transform its welfare-to-work program, Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN), from one that emphasized basic education to one focused on speedy entry into the work force. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the original program; reasons for a shift to a work-first model and description of…

This article discusses the characteristics of the Kennedy Kids and Adults Together program, a successful elementary mentoring program for students and community members. Ten steps for establishing such a program are outlined and the results of a program evaluation conducted with students, family members, teachers, and mentors are reported.…

This report presents findings from the second-year evaluation of the Governor's Educator Excellence Grant (GEEG) program. The GEEG program was federally- and state-funded and provided three-year grants to schools to design and implement performance pay plans from the 2005-06 to 2007-08 school years. GEEG was implemented in 99 high poverty, high…

This report examines how parent involvement in running day care centers in France has increased in recent years, and investigates the role that the Association des Collectifs Enfants Parents Professionnels (ACEPP) has played in making this form of child care more acceptable. After a discussion of the historical development and current choices of…

This paper analyzes design alternatives for Federal elementary and secondary education programs. It identifies the range of program strategies available and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. The proper design for any program depends upon the following factors: (1) goals; (2) the availability of Federal funding to pay for necessary services…

The Summer Training and Education Program (STEP) research demonstration was initiated in 1984 to test the effects of a two-summer remediation, work, and life skills intervention on the lives of 14- and 15-year-olds from poor urban families who were already seriously behind academically. The program provided youth with half-day summer jobs combined…

During summer 1991, a study reviewed efforts of local agencies to implement the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program. Three local sites in each of 10 states were examined. The field research showed that formal client flowcharts designed by the states and local sites were not yet fully operational and often did not describe actual…

This report presents findings from the second year of a multi-year evaluation of the Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) program and background information about the design and implementation of the District Awards for Teacher Excellence (DATE) program. The TEEG and DATE programs operating in Texas make up the largest state-funded performance…

As part of a 3-year study of the implementation of the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program, front-line workers were surveyed in all 10 states and in 29 of 30 sites included in the overall study. Their perceptions of the agencies' organizational environments suggested a rather lukewarm agency context for implementing JOBS. Workers…

Upward mobility programs in the service sector for low-skilled, economically disadvantaged, and dislocated or displaced workers promote employment security, career development, and productivity. Two basic types of upward mobility programs are basic and job-specific skills training. Although 60-80 percent of all employer-sponsored formal training…